Updates to this story

The project, which has been given numerous codenames, including “BlackPad”, “Cobalt”, and, a personal favourite, “BlackBoard”, is set to bring us something “smaller and thinner than the iPad”, according to BBLeaks.

It will also feature “full BlackBerry OS compatibility and functionality” and potentially an 8.9-inch display, if what RIM has been ordering lately is anything to go by.

However, with a release date being 2011 at the earliest, the BlackPad needs to offer some real extras if it's to topple Apple's reign.